Advance Directives

Individuals admitted to the hospital are given information about advance directives and other health care decisions.

Advance directives give you a voice in decisions about your medical care when you are unable to communicate. If you become seriously ill, you may lose the ability to participate in decisions about your own treatment.

Advance directives are valuable tools that protect you and your right to make medical choices that can affect your life. They also protect your family from having the responsibility and stress of making difficult decisions for you, and help your physician by providing guidelines for your care. Advance directives may include living wills.

Living Will

A living will is a document that states your wishes regarding any kind of health care you may receive.

These wishes may include withholding or withdrawal of life support systems, such as a respirator or feeding tube. These written instructions take effect if you are permanently unconscious or terminally ill and can't communicate.

Health Care Representative

A health care representative is a person you have authorized in writing to make any and all health care decisions on your behalf, including the decision whether to withhold or withdraw life support systems. This person does not act unless you are unable to communicate.

More Information

View the Advance Directives Form PDF for information from the state and the necessary forms, or you can get the forms from the hospital, hospice and home health care agencies, long-term care facilities, attorneys' offices or the state attorney general's office.  

For more information on advance directives and living wills, visit the state of Connecticut Office of the Attorney General webpage on living wills and advance directives.